Air switch electronic vaporizer

ABSTRACT

An air switch electronic vaporizer has a rechargeable battery heating a heating element which in turn heats a heating chamber. A control board controls the electrical heating of the heating element. An outer casing is formed as a sleeve. The outer casing retains the heating element, the rechargeable battery, and the control board. A deactivation switch can be formed as a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can be mounted at a pressure sensor opening formed on the outer casing. The pressure sensor is configured to sense a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening. The control board deactivates the intellectual heating of the heating element when the pressure sensor senses a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of electronic vaporizers.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

A variety of different cigarette igniters have been made for a variety of different cigarettes. Cigarettes may include tobacco or other plant products. Cigarette igniters can facilitate the vaporization of cigarette material. Improved functionality of cigarette igniters can augment user experience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An air switch electronic vaporizer has a rechargeable battery heating a heating element which in turn heats a heating chamber. A control board controls the electrical heating of the heating element. An outer casing is formed as a sleeve. The outer casing retains the heating element, the rechargeable battery, and the control board. A deactivation switch can be formed as a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can be mounted at a pressure sensor opening formed on the outer casing. The pressure sensor is configured to sense a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening. The control board deactivates the intellectual heating of the heating element when the pressure sensor senses a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening.

The air switch electronic vaporizer has a heating chamber that is electrically heated by a heating needle. A top cover fits around an upper edge of the heating chamber 89, and the top cover is magnetically connected to the inner sleeve. A first sleeve can be formed as a flared flange. The first sleeve extends to a second sleeve. The second sleeve is formed as a tube. The first sleeve and the second sleeve are connected at a thermally insulating connecting ring. A bevel is formed around the pressure sensor opening. The pressure sensor is preferably a microphone. The pressure sensor provides a safety mechanism and easy method of deactivation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-section front view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section side view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a close up view of the air switch of the present invention.

The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the element numbers of the drawings.

21 Internal Bracket

22 Outer Casing

23 Bracket Cover

24 Inner Sleeve

25 Top Cover

26 Magnetic Sheet

27 First Cover

28 Second Cover

29 Connecting Ring

30 Spring

31 Insulation Sleeve

32 Heater Seat

33 Heating Needle

34 Sensor Needle Tip

35 Light Guide Column

36 Magnet

38 Control Board

39 USB Board

40 Battery

41 Microphone

42 Plant Based Cigarette

43 USB Socket

44 Cigarette Opening

50 Microphone Opening

51 Bevel

52 Microphone Holder

88 Heating Chamber

89 Heating Chamber Upper Edge

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention, as seen in FIGS. 1-6, is a cigarette igniter which includes a rechargeable battery 40 that powers a heating needle 33 for heating a plant based cigarette 42. The battery 40 can he recharged by a USB socket 43. The USB socket 43 is formed on the USB board 39.

The cigarette igniter can have an internal bracket 21 that holds the battery and heating needle 33 and USB board 39 on a tray structure that slides into an outer casing 22. The outer casing 22 can be formed as an aluminum sleeve. The internal bracket 21 can also be made of aluminum for improving heat dissipation. A bracket cover 23 can cover the internal bracket 21. If the internal bracket 21 is formed as a tray, then the bracket cover 23 can cover the tray.

The inner sleeve 24 is formed toward a tip of the cigarette igniter and has a cigarette opening 44 formed in it. The cigarette opening 44 receives a plant based cigarette 42. The top cover 25 fits over the inner sleeve 24. The inner sleeve 24 preferably has a pair of magnets 36 mounted on it that attracts to a magnetic sheet 26 located on the top cover 25. The inner sleeve 24 is preferably connected to the internal bracket 21 at a lower end of the inner sleeve 24.

A second cover 28 is formed as a downward extension of the first cover 28. The second cover 28 can be formed as a tube that is connected to the first cover 27 which is formed as a flared flange. A connecting ring 29 can connect the first cover to the second cover. Preferably, the connecting ring 29 is a thermal break that prevents heat from transmitting from the second cover 28 to the first cover 27.

A spring 30 is mounted toward a base of the heating needle 33 so that sensor needle tips 34 mounted on heater seats 32 can detect insertion of a cigarette. Once the cigarette is inserted, the heating needle 33 begins to heat, and the heat generated through electrical resistance of the heating needle 33 is held within the heating chamber 88 by an insulation sleeve 31. The insulation sleeve 31 forms a thermal break between the heating portion and the battery 40. The sensor needle tips 34 are contact switches that are activated when a downward movement of the cigarette completes a circuit. A control board 38 senses the circuit completion.

Additionally, a microphone 41 or other diaphragm pressure sensor can be electrically connected to the USB board so that the microphone 41 receives a flow of air or air pressure disturbance from a microphone opening 50. A user can blow on the microphone. When the microphone senses air vortices around the bevel 51 of the microphone opening 50, the control board 38 deactivates the heating needle 33. Thus, the user can blow on the microphone opening 32 that can deactivate the heating needle 33. The microphone is preferably held within a microphone holder 52 formed of a soft plastic that isolates the microphone from the user during use. Thus, a user can deactivate the cigarette by softly blowing on the microphone switch. The microphone can be implemented by a diaphragm pressure sensor or an audio microphone element commonly found in consumer electronics. The microphone switch is an air activated deactivation switch that is in a different and separated stream of air flow than the cigarette. Triggering of the air switch overrides the cigarette insertion switch so that heating needle 33 turns off even if the cigarette is inserted. In windy weather, the microphone opening 50 is shaped so that the user can put a finger over the microphone opening 50 to cover it from inadvertent wind deactivation. If the user were to accidentally drop the device, the rush of air across the microphone opening 50 or the sound of the impact could deactivate the cigarette to provide a safety mechanism.

The microphone may have a thin membrane receiving air vibrations. The thin membrane is preferably mechanically connected to a magnet that passes through an electrical coil. The electrical coil generates a current when the air vibrations vibrate the thin membrane which in turn vibrates a magnet that passes through the electrical coil. The membrane can be made of a fabric, or a plastic sheet. The membrane can be a fabric can be laminated to a plastic sheet. The membrane is preferably circular and can be thermoformed to be conical in shape. The membrane can be a thin plastic laminated sheet that is thermally laminated to the microphone housing. The electrical current generated from the electrical coil can activate a transistor that acts as a switch. Thus, the microphone is formed as an electrical switch for a circuit. The microphone can be mounted within a bracket formed on the housing. The bracket can be unitary with the housing and thermoplastic injection molded.

The airflow along the bevel 51 generates vortices that the audio microphone element is attuned to listen to. The control board 38 is connected to the microphone 41 so that the control board 38 can filter out other sounds and pressure disturbances and only pick up on the air vortices generated when blowing across the bevel 51. This prevents the device from accidentally deactivating during use. The bevel 51 can be configured to generate resonance such as Helmholtz, or can be configured to direct air toward the pressure sensor.

An indicator such as an LED on the control board 38 can indicate to the user the status of the heating needle 33. The LED can be connected such as by a prism. An example of a prism is the light guide column 35 that can direct the LED light to the exterior of the device. The USB board 39 can connect to the control board 38 by a cable for providing data access. The USB socket 43 is formed in a lower portion of the outer casing 22. Optionally, the microphone can output audio to the USB port, while at the same time retaining its properties as a switch. 

1. An air switch electronic vaporizer comprising: a. a rechargeable battery heating a heating element which in turn heats a heating chamber; b. a control board controlling the electrical heating of the heating element; c. an outer casing formed as a sleeve, wherein the outer casing retains the heating element, the rechargeable battery, and the control board; and d. a deactivation switch formed as a pressure sensor, wherein the pressure sensor is mounted at a pressure sensor opening formed on the outer casing, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to sense a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening, wherein the control board deactivates the intellectual heating of the heating element when the pressure sensor senses a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening.
 2. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the heating chamber is electrically heated by a heating needle.
 3. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 1, wherein a top cover fits around an upper edge of the heating chamber, wherein the top cover is magnetically connected to the inner sleeve.
 4. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 1, further including a first sleeve formed as a flared flange, wherein the first sleeve extends to a second sleeve, wherein the second sleeve is formed as a tube, wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve are connected at a thermally insulating connecting ring.
 5. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 1, further including a bevel formed around the pressure sensor opening.
 6. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is a microphone.
 7. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 6, wherein the heating chamber is electrically heated by a heating needle.
 8. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 6, wherein a top cover fits around an upper edge of the heating chamber, wherein the top cover is magnetically connected to the inner sleeve.
 9. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 6, further including a first sleeve formed as a flared flange, wherein the first sleeve extends to a second sleeve, wherein the second sleeve is formed as a tube, wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve are connected at a thermally insulating connecting ring.
 10. The air switch electronic vaporizer of claim 6, further including a bevel formed around the pressure sensor opening. 